Our Sin
by Aura Spirit
Summary: When dealing with the paranormal, one should take care that there are not any lasting effects. And if there are, know how to prevent them. As the ex-leader of the Phantom Thieves, that responsibility falls onto Ren. With friends like the Thieves, such a task shouldn't be so difficult, should it?
1. Skill Tree Unlocked

Winter was a formidable force to keep at bay, and the old building style of Café Leblanc was certainly not helping there. Despite how hard it tried, there was only so much a single heater could do to keep the biting cold at bay. Said heater was sat next to the CRT screen in Ren's room, its warm glow easily eclipsed by the flickering of the screen. Ren Amamiya himself was curled up in one corner of the chair, nestled inside a sleeping bag in an attempt to retain feeling in his extremities. So far, it was working, much to his joy, because otherwise he would not be able to enjoy the presence of Futaba Sakura's body leaning on his, her head leaning on his shoulder as they watched the screen. Strands of her hair stood out against the grey of his sleeping bag, and he resented the cold for making it so uncomfortable to embrace her properly.

The credits began to crawl across the scene, and Futaba shifted, pushing herself higher up the seat using Ren as a brace. He watched her struggle before she sighed with frustration, opting to lie down with her head resting in his lap.

"Comfortable?"

"Yep."

The reflection of the screen's light on her glasses was obscuring her eyes. A shame. He wrested a hand free of his sleeping bag and placed it on Futaba's head. This was by far her favourite use of his hands to date. She closed her eyes, nuzzling into his palm. They sat in silence like that, only the hum of the fan heater accompanying the sound of their breathing.

"Hey, Ren."

"Hmm?"

"The movie's stopped."

"Very observant of you."

"Put another one on."

"After you've just gotten comfortable?"

Futaba pouted and moved again, this time managing to position herself so that she was sat in Ren's lap, her face now very close to his. Each being able to feel the other's warmth was a welcome bonus.

"Are you really going to make me stand up, _in the cold_ , to change the movie?"

"You are making it increasingly difficult to move, so… yes?"

His smug smile was met with a playful headbutt. After a moment of wiggling, she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Change the movie."

"If thou insists."

Futaba rolled to allow Ren space to move, and he hauled himself to his feet, grimacing at the sting of cold are being drawn into the sleeping bag as he stood.

"Pacific Rim or Edge of Tomorrow?"

"Edge of Tomorrow, obviously. Who doesn't love All You Need Is Kill?"

"Well forgive me for asking, princess."

"You are forgiven. Heh."

Ren glared at Futaba. She grinned back. Her grin faded when he stepped out of his sleeping bag and began to pull her out of hers. Her laughter became yelps of protest- she tried to push him off, but those impossibly dexterous hands of his had already wormed their way inside and were firmly clamped under her arms. Her cocoon of warmth slipped away, and the goosebumps spread immediately. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around the nearest heat source: Ren. She scowled, and his victorious grin broke into a laugh. Her bare feet pushed off the ground, tackling him into the sofa- she was well aware that he let her perform such an action. She hastily pulled the sleeping bag over them. He was still laughing, pushing her dangling hair from his face while she breathed heavily with a mixture of begrudging joy and indignation.

"You know, you could have just asked for a hug."

"But now we can share a sleeping bag. Even warmer, win-win."

"I'm sure Sojiro wouldn't approve."

"I'm sure Sojiro wouldn't ask."

Futaba arched a brow.

"Well, someone sure is confident tonight- eep!" Ren's arms had snaked under her arms again and onto her back, pulling her in towards him. "Did I say confident? I meant affectionate."

The extra source of heat was very much welcome, and she settled on top of him, resting her head on his chest. He pressed play on the remote, and the pair watched their next film, their breathing having subconsciously synchronised. Despite how much she enjoyed the film, the extra warmth that Ren was providing was making her sleepy, and she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. When Ren next looked up from the screen, he saw that she was fast asleep, her glasses sitting at an odd angle on her face. He felt a small piece of his heart melt.

Moving carefully, he first turned off the screen, setting the remote down on the floor before pulling Futaba's glasses from her face placing them on the ground alongside his own. When he turned his attention back to the sleeping girl, she was quite awake, and staring at him intently.

"Hey, Ren."

"Hmm?"

"Do you miss the Metaverse?"

"Define "miss"."

"Like do you miss going there?"

"Do I miss crawling through the hearts of the corrupt and getting attacked at almost every turn? Not really, no."

She dug a finger into his right side, giggling as he writhed beneath her.

"You totally miss it."

"Nope, not at all." He managed between gasps.

"Oh my god, you actually have a power complex." She attacked his left as well.

"Oh yeah?" The inevitable retaliation came, and suddenly Futaba's sides were under attack, and she was quickly subdued and pinned on her back. "Like you can't relate. I can't name a single person who _wouldn't_ want their own personal UFO or star."

"Oh, and I'm sure they'd be _ecstatic_ to explain exactly why their Persona abducts them with tentacles. Top tier, ten out of ten."

The pair laughed again. Ren pulled the fabric of the sleeping bag in tighter in an effort to retain more heat.

"Why did you get abducted by tentacles though?"

"...aaaaaaaaaand that's enough of that conversation."

"Guessing it can be summed up with "the internet"?"

"I said that's enough." She gave him a cautionary poke in the chest. "Do you want me to attack you again?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny this allegation."

"Oh my god! Winning an argument with you is impossible if you just keep dropping one-liners!"

Light, playful punches landed on his chest. Ren chuckled, placing a hand on the back of her head and wrapping his other arm around her.

"...so warm." He muttered.

Fatigue was again creeping up on Futaba, and she allowed herself to relax in Ren's grasp.

"...I do miss it. I mean, despite it all, all the monsters, horrible people…" He glanced at Futaba. "Tragic pasts… it was fun. I had fun."

"That much was obvious. You really like ripping a shadow's face off, huh?"

"Quiet you." He fell silent for a moment. "It's weird. It's like, I can still feel Arsene's presence, but I can't hear him. It's like he's sat across some massive empty space."

"What about Satanael?"

Ren scoffed, holding back his laughter for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"Not a chance. Satanael was a transformation of Arsene, remember? That and everyone believed we existed then, too."

"Hmmm, fair. It's the same with Prometheus. Well, it's Necronomicon, or at least it feels like it? I don't know. It's weird. Occasionally I'll see a green glow in my hands, but then nothing. I can't recreate it, it just happens sometimes. I don't even know if it's real. Like sometimes, it's like it still whispers in my ear, telling me things. Small things, like exactly when someone will walk through a door, or something."

"Hmmm."

They lapsed into silence again, the heater still humming away. What a diligent machine.

"You know what I think?" Ren said, his steely eyes meeting Futaba's.

"What?"

"I think…" Ren lifted Futaba, and the sudden lack of cover left her clinging to him as if she were a child. "This is a conversation best carried on tomorrow."

"You are such a useless romantic."

"Why thank you."

Ren's bed offered much more space than the sofa, a change that Futaba was thankful for. She waited for him to get comfortable before wrapping her arms around him.

"You best hope Sojiro doesn't come up here."

"Ssshhh, that's a problem for future me."

Breakfast the next morning was graced- or burdened, in Futaba's opinion- by the presence of Yusuke Kitagawa. _He_ was the last person she needed to see on a Sunday morning when she was barely awake already. Not that she regretted it; she was a sucker for sci-fi, and Ren's collection of foreign films never ceased to amaze. How he got his hands on them was beyond her.

Yusuke was of course rambling about art. Ren, to his credit, looked as if he was paying attention. For Futaba, it was in one ear, and out the other. Early morning conversations about the fine subtleties of art did not pair well with movie marathon induced fatigue.

Ren said something to Yusuke, and the latter's eyes met hers. She snapped to attention, mainly out of concern that she would end up roped into some insane art-based scheme.

"What do you think, Futaba?"

Yusuke was holding out a photograph, and she took it, shooting a tired glare at him. There was a painting in the photo.

"Needs more colours."

She must have offended him- not difficult- because the artist's expression immediately darkened. She stopped listening as he began his rant, opting to rest her head in her arms and close her eyes.

"She isn't listening, Yusuke."

 _My saviour._

Some more conversation passed over her head as she drowsed, and soon she felt Ren's hand against the top of her head, stroking slowly.

"You still with us?"

"Mmhmm"

"What do you want to do today?"

"Sleep."

"Not allowed."

"Sit."

She heard him laugh. He sat down next to her, and she shifted her position from leaning on the table to leaning on him. He carried on stroking her head. Sojiro shook his head with a smile from behind the counter. Ren felt as if he could sit like this forever, but he knew he couldn't spend all day sat around doing nothing having done exactly that last night.

"I've got it."

"Hmmm? You've got what?"

"An idea of what to do today."

"Pray tell."

Ren smiled. Futaba opened her eyes and quickly recognised it not as a Ren smile, but a Joker smile. He was up to something.

"Fancy going swimming?"

The circumstance could not have been more calculated. With just three words he'd boxed her into a corner so magnificently that her amazement almost eclipsed her indignation. He knew she couldn't swim- if she said no, he'd simply bring up that fact, and no doubt Sojiro would take his side. That bastard.

Her expression did not go unnoticed. That Joker grin had vanished, and his face was the epitome of neutrality.

"I mean, you did say you didn't know how. No better time to learn, right?"

Sojiro had looked up from behind the counter.

"That's not a bad idea. Swimming is a valuable skill, you know."

 _Damn you Sojiro._

"I guess." she conceded. She pulled Ren down by the ear. "I'll make you pay for this."

He merely chuckled and stood up when she released him.

"Besides, I need some exercise, and I don't think even Ryuji would want to run in this cold. The water will be warm, at least."

"You lied to me! You said it would be warm!"

Futaba was currently ankle-deep in distressingly cold pool water, gripping the handrail leading into the pool so hard her knuckles were turning white. Ren was already in the water, that smug grin on his face. She was torn- remain out of the cold water, but have most of her skin in view of total strangers, or risk freezing to hide.

"The longer you wait, the worse it's going to feel."

He was genuinely concerned for her, as he always was, but he couldn't help but find some amusement in the situation. There was something about her standing there, a look of childish betrayal on her face, putting a metal bar in a death grip all while wearing a swimsuit and a pair of goggles. He couldn't help himself, it was almost too much for his heart.

He moved up the stairs, taking hold of her wrist and prising her fingers from the rail, allowing her to take his hand as a replacement. He gestured for her to take his other hand too, and after a few moments, she swallowed nervously and let go of the bar. She was now holding both of his hands, and he started to descend into the pool. A subtle squeeze of her hands relayed that he wasn't going to stop, and she may as well get the shock over with. She bit her lip and stepped down, the water immersing her shins, then her thighs. She gasped when the water reached her chest, and almost cried when all but her head was immersed.

"Start moving, you'll soon warm up."

She instead opted to grip Ren, trying to steal his warmth away.

"Seriously, you'll get cold if you stand still."

He once again guided her hands away from him, and she started running on the spot as best she could, soon feeling warmth spread through her. Ren's expression had become one of concern- an unspoken question of if she wanted to continue. She steeled her gaze, and started moving around him, pushing off from the bottom of the pool with her legs and letting her arms trail in the water.

"Y-y-you're s-so mean!"

He let her get acclimated before he guided her to a deeper section of the pool. He navigated through the least occupied water, watching as she tilted her head further and further back as the floor dropped away, before she stopped still. The water only came up to Ren's chest.

"We're going to start with the absolute basics- treading water. Do you know how to do that?"

"N-n-no."

"All you need to do is keep upright, kick your legs, and move your arms like this." He pushed his arms straight down before bringing them back out in a circular pattern. "Think you can do it?"

Once again, he guided her hands, this time to his shoulders. He walked backwards, and Futaba felt a flash of panic as the floor sloped out of reach. She began kicking, leaning heavily on Ren as she did so. He then pulled her hands from his shoulders, releasing her. She moved her arms too irregularly, and quickly began to sink, her head vanishing beneath the surface. Ren's hands were immediately around her waist, hauling her to the surface, where she gasped for air and gripped him tightly. He walked back to where she could stand comfortably and set her down.

"Your hands were all wrong there. Want me to show you?"

"Mmhmm."

He started cycling his hands in the water. Taking a deep breath, Futaba submerged herself, watching his hands intently. While he pushed down, he kept his fingers together and slightly bent inwards. Upon reaching the bottom of the push, he tilted his hands so that his fingers were parallel with the surface and straightened his fingers, quickly bringing them back up before tilting them flat and pushing down again. Futaba surfaced, a look of determination on her face.

"Okay. This time for sure."

She let Ren pull her out to the deeper water, and he let her go. This time, she mimicked the way his hands had moved, and found that her head remained comfortably above water. Her resolute expression was replaced with a joyful grin.

"I'm doing it! I'm doing it!"

"That you are."

Her laughter broke her rhythm, and she sank again, Ren's hands finding her waist again and pulling her upwards. She pouted, pointing a finger in his smirking face.

"We are not stopping."

When the bell above Leblanc's door chimed again, Sojiro had not expected to see Ren carrying an exhausted Futaba into the shop on his back. She was practically asleep, her head resting on his, strands of frizzed orange hair falling either side of his shoulders. Her arms were crossed over his chest, and he had his arms around her thighs. He set her down in a booth, watching as she moved her arms to rest her head on the table.

"Uuuuuughhh… so tiring…. I hunger…"

"What were you even doing?"

"Treading water. May as well start with the basics, right?"

Ren had to admit that he thought she'd had fared better, but it seems he had underestimated her low stamina. She had pretty much got the technique of treading water, and Ren had intended to get at least one stroke in before stopping. However, she was dead on her feet by the second hour, so he had made the executive decision to bring her arched a brow.

"Uh-huh. Maybe take it a bit easier nest time."

He set two plates of curry down on the table, watching with amusement as Futaba's head rose to look at the meal before slowly scooping forkfuls of it into her mouth. Ren sat next to her.

"You did well today."

"Why is it so tiring…."

"Because you...uh, earned a lot of XP?"

"...mmmm. Makes sense."

She yawned, pushing the plate away from her. Sojiro stepped out from behind the counter.

"I think it's time for you to go home."

"No objections." She mumbled in response.

Ren helped her stand, and watched as Sojiro guided her out of the shop, leaving the two plates for him to clean. Sighing, Ren stood, placing the used crockery in the sink, soaking them in the hot water within, scrubbing them clean before drying them and returning them to their rightful place in the cupboard. Next came the counters and tables; he took a wet cloth to them, wiping them of the day's spills before wringing it out in the sink. Following that, he locked the door, making sure to flip the sign to "closed" before turning off the lights and retiring to his room, flopping down onto his bed and sighing. His attempt to fall asleep immediately was foiled, for he was distracted by an odd chiming, a sound like thin shards of glass colliding with each other.

Upon opening his eyes again, he saw that a single crystalline butterfly had settled on the windowsill, its wings shifting rhythmically as it stared at him.

"Lavenza? How are you even here?"

The butterfly fluttered its wings.

"The cognitive world may be inaccessible for now, but it is not extinct. I bring to you a warning."

"What kind of warning?"

"Seeing as you are the Trickster that saved this world, we see it fit that we offer you this warning to heed. You play a dangerous game, for while the general population will no longer affect the unconscious world, those who were extensively exposed to its energies may yet find their distortions become reality."

"So, the Thieves could still become distorted without the protection of their Personas?"

"Precisely."

"And I should just keep an eye on them to make sure that doesn't happen?"

"As expected of the Trickster, you understand the situation perfectly. The wealth of time you now have following your release from your imprisonment should suffice. We of the Velvet Room expect the risk to diminish in little over a month. We trust your judgment, Trickster. And your discretion."

"Keep it secret. Got it."

A quiet laugh emanated from Lavenza's butterfly, and it took off, fading out of sight before it even left the room. Ren sighed, lowering his head again and closing his eyes, contemplating Lavenza's words.

 _Just hold it together for one more month. That shouldn't be too hard, right?_


	2. Skill Grind

_**I didn't anticipate exams and hayfever to destroy my will to write, so this took far too long to do. Hopefully I should be back on-form now though.**_

* * *

 **Group: Exorcised Phantoms**

 **Joker:** I have an idea what to do this weekend.

 **Skull:** yeah?

 **Joker:** how about a trip to the water park?

 **Noir:** Oh? Where did that idea come from?

 **Joker:** I may or may not have been teaching futaba how to swim

 **Oracle:** YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP THAT SECRET OAO

 **Joker:** Come on, it'll be more fun!

The jingle of Leblanc's bell heralded Ren's imminent headache.

"Reeeeeeeeeeen!"

Deliberate stomps rumbled up his stairs, and Ren looked across his room from his bed as the indignant redhead trudged across the attic and unceremoniously threw herself on top of him, small balled fists falling against his chest, legs kicking in the air idly as she pouted at him. His smug grin and feigned innocence was doing nothing to diffuse her ire. She folded her arms across his chest and rested her head on them, violet eyes glaring at grey.

"That was mean."

Ren chuckled, the accompanying shake of his body causing her head to bob up and down. An open palm met her head, patting gently, and she hummed involuntarily.

"I figured that since you were obviously uncomfortable yesterday, we should go somewhere a bit more fun to learn. Might help you take your mind off things."

"You could have asked me first."

Both of their phones buzzed.

 **Queen:** I think this weekend is too short notice…

 **Fox:** I must agree. I already have plans. Perhaps next weekend?

 **Panther:** I would totally be down with next weekend!

"You've caught a break, Futaba. They want to go next weekend. How about the 5th of March? That gives you nine days to prepare."

"Don't make it sound like such a small deal! It's embarrassing…"

Ren arched a brow.

"Embarrassing? You've been to the beach with them before, right?"

"Not that!" Futaba raised her head along with her voice, putting her face closer to Ren's. "The fact that I can't swim."

"You picked up treading water quickly enough. I can't imagine you having to make that excuse much longer."

Ren was sporting his trademark smirk, much to Futaba's chagrin. She pouted again.

"I think I prefered the polite Ren that arrived last April."

"Oof, you had this place bugged that far back?"

"...last May."

"So sneaky."

"Ugh, just go to school already. Attendance officers don't give leniency to people, even if they did save the world."

"A damn shame that is."

Futaba rolled off of him, allowing him to stand up. He was already in his uniform- he had eaten a little earlier than usual, giving himself time to send his previous messages.

"Are you sure you're going to be warm enough in just that uniform?" Futaba asked, pinching the cuffs to demonstrate how thin it was. "I mean, there's barely anything to it."

"Eh, doesn't matter once I get walking. Besides, you're not much better. Shorts and thigh-high socks?"

"I'll have you know thigh-high socks are very warm!"

Ren just chuckled and headed for the stairs, patting Futaba's head as he passed.

"Don't blame me if you catch a cold." He snarked.

"I'm not the one who should be worried."

Upon returning to Leblanc later that day, Ren was fully prepared to admit his folly.

February was _freezing._

He had slipped on a few patches of ice to and from Shujin, and while he had kept his balance, many others lacked his poise. He imagined there were nasty bruises on some of those poor souls by now. For Ren though, the most pressing concern was the numbness in his fingers. He could barely feel the doorknob in his hand as he turned it, and shut the door perhaps a little too quickly- the sudden noise of its closing caused some of the patrons to glare at him. He elected to say nothing and instead vanished upstairs, intent on turning on the space heater to regain the lost feeling in his body. To his joy and confusion, it was already on, and the confusion disappeared with the sight of a certain orange-haired girl curled up next to it, her clearly fully-functioning fingers flying across the keyboard. She looked at him as he sat down heavily.

"Regretting this morning's decision?"

"Very much so."

"Poor boy."

Ren rumbled in dissent, shuffling closer to the heater, stretching his arms out towards it. Futaba returned her eyes to her screen. Ren could just about make out a few lines of code in the reflection of her lenses before he closed his eyes, his body finally beginning to relax. He sighed.

"I think I'll take a coat tomorrow."

"Oooh, the boy has some sense after all."

Futaba's attention was still fixed on her laptop, and Ren glared at her. He stood up, moving behind her and touching the back of her neck with his still-icy hands. She shrieked, jerking away from his touch and retreating to the wall with her laptop, remaining curled for warmth. Ren laughed.

"Mean!"

"Come on, I just want to warm up!"

"You have the heater for that! Leave my delicate body out of this!"

Ren closed in and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his hands to any exposed flesh he could find. Futaba protested loudly, struggling to throw him off. After a few moments of thrashing from Futaba, Ren relented, pulling the both of them back towards the heater. She eyed him suspiciously before turning her attention back to the screen. He watched over her shoulder, unable to make sense of the lines of symbols and commands. He reckoned he knew a few of the commands, but he had no idea what the program would do.

"What are you doing, anyway? This today's project?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"What does it do?"

"Collects information."

Ren rolled his eyes.

"Most hacks do that, Futaba. Are you breaking into something again?"

"I can't confirm or deny anything at this time."

"So you _are_ hacking someone."

"Ssssshh, just let me do my thing. Aaaaaand… enter."

The script window was replaced by a table of data and names. The column headings showed a list of times, and the row headings had each day of the week on them. After a few moments of reading the table, Ren could make sense of what she had done.

"This is all pulled from the swimming centre's customer data." A section of the table for each day was highlighted in red, and another in green. "Guessing red is the busiest time of the day for swimming, and green the least?"

"Yep! So if you're gonna take me swimming again you're gonna do it at these times." She gestured to the green sections. "Oh, aaaaand… there! I did the same thing for the water park. So do you mind if we go a bit later on that day?"

"If it'll make you more comfortable, how could I say no?"

"Thank you~"

Futaba allowed herself to be pulled in front of Ren. She sat cross-legged between his legs, which were quickly wrapped around hers. His arms crossed over her belly, and he rested his head on hers, clutching her as if she were some living water bottle. She leaned back, and they sat by the heater, the shared warmth chasing the last of the cold from Ren's body. He hummed in satisfaction, basking in the warmth of the space heater and his girlfriend. Futaba giggled.

"You're hopeless."

She began to type again, getting lost in the lines of another project before a fierce grumble snapped her back to reality. She turned to Ren, who was looking away in embarrassment.

"Oh my god, you've not even eaten yet!"

"Was too cold."

"Downstairs, now!"

Futaba pulled herself free from his embrace, and he folded inwards with a drawn-out _no~_. She disappeared downstairs, and Ren could make out her voice demanding curry from Sojiro. She appeared in his field of view again, pulling him towards the stairs, failing to move him any distance until he put effort in. The cafe was remarkably warmer than the attic, likely due to the stove and coffee burners throwing out a constant supply of heat. Ren was not complaining. Futaba pushed him into a booth and sat next to him, his skin tingling where she leant on him. She grinned as she felt him lean back onto her. When Sojiro set the plate of curry down on the table, she slid it down to Ren.

"Eat."

Ren didn't need telling twice, and he finished the plate in almost half the time it usually took him. He pushed the now-empty plate away from himself, stretching his arms above his head and groaning. Futaba took the opportunity to wrap her arms around him, resting her face against his chest. His hands settled on her back and her head, moving in slow, small circles. Her perfect comfort was ruined when he leaned down.

"We're going the pool again tomorrow." He silenced her protests with a finger on the lips. "We can't have you going to a water park if you don't know at least one stroke."

Futaba took to grumbling discontentedly, digging her fingers into his side as preemptive revenge for her suffering. He merely laughed and stood up, forcing her to follow him if she wanted to continue her assault. He busied himself with cleaning his plate as Futaba disappeared upstairs, intent on continuing her project. She barely got five lines in before Ren was sitting down behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his cheek to hers, rumbling with content when she stroked the side of his face.

"We're still going again tomorrow, you know."

"Ugh, you're intent on keeping me away from my computer, aren't you?"

"You'll thank me for it at some point."

" _In other news, an unforeseen problem: rising cost of care with the increased cases of-"_

Futaba muted the newsfeed when she heard Leblanc's bell ring. Looking up from her laptop, she watched as Ren quickly closed the door, a wave of cold air escaping into the shop and causing Futaba to shiver. She briefly marvelled at how the coat Ren was wearing made him look so much bigger before closing down her laptop. Ren watched her run upstairs with the device and return wearing a coat and carrying two bags of swimwear; one for him, one for her.

"Hmm, you could have saved me a trip by taking my schoolbag up there."

"Quiet you. You're going up there to get changed anyway."

"Very true."

Their journey back to the pool was uneventful and, surprisingly, rather quiet. Ren found it odd that so few people were out on a saturday evening. He was even more perplexed when he emerged from the changing rooms to a completely empty pool.

"No pool guard, either…" he muttered to himself.

Futaba stepped out from the changing rooms, took one look at the empty pool and nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. No-one to witness my shame."

Ren shook his head, laughing quietly as she gingerly stepped into the water, watching her grimace with the cold. He positioned himself behind her.

"You know, I mean it when I say it's easier if you get in quickly."

He placed a hand between her shoulder blades and pushed, Futaba yelping with surprise and betrayal as she pitched forwards, disappearing beneath the surface with a splash before her feet found the bottom of the pool. She resurfaced with a murderous scowl on her face. Ren stepped into the water, effortlessly pushing himself out of the way as she attempted to tackle him.

"That's mean! Don't do that!"

"I'll stop as soon as you get into the pool without stopping. But for now, tread water. I want to see if you can still do it."

Her scowl shifted from that of anger, to one of concentration. To her credit, she managed to keep her head above water for almost a full two minutes before slipping under with a faint "no". She kicked off the floor towards shallower water, and stood up with a grin.

"There! I can tread water just fine!"

"That's great!" Ren smirked and backed away, swimming out into deeper water and remaining there. "Now come here."

Futaba began by walking, the water slowly creeping up her chest and neck as she grew closer to Ren. She stopped when the water reached her chin, freezing in place, staring at Ren with pleading eyes.

"Just try." He said. "I'm here, I'll grab you."

He held his hand out. He couldn't have been any more than five metres away, but it might as well have been a mile for Futaba. She could no longer feel the floor beneath her feet, and her breathing was accelerating. The familiar sense of panic was setting in, and she did what all those who panic do: she flailed. Ren's arms were around her almost immediately, gently guiding her back to a depth where she could stand.

"Okay, try this. You know when you tread water, you push out and down?"

"Yes?"

"Try moving your arms forward, then pull yourself forward by dragging your hands out and then back towards your body." He mimicked the movement above water, Futaba paying close attention to the way he angled his hands, and the way he spread his fingers when initially pushing them forward. "Like that."

He then backed away from her, watching as she experimentally dragged her hands through the water. He looked away for a moment as two young boys emerged from the changing room and entered the pool. When he turned back, Futaba was attempting to swim towards him again. She managed to get halfway before her lack of kick technique pulled her beneath the surface. Ren moved in to pick her up and almost took a headbutt to the chin when she kicked off from the bottom of the pool.

"I don't know how to legs!" she blurted, and it took all of Ren's willpower to not die of laughter there and then.

"Okay, hmmm... The best way I can describe it is kicking kind of like a frog? Put your head under and watch me."

They counted down, and Futaba's head disappeared, a blur of orange beneath the surface the only marker of her presence. She watched as Ren demonstrated proper breaststroke, his arms and legs moving pretty much in sync. Instead of surfacing, she replicated the movements, managing to pull herself forward a short distance before the lack of oxygen forced her upwards, and she was delighted to see that she had caught Ren off guard. He arched a brow. Behind him, the two strangers were taking turns jumping into the pool.

"You caught onto that quickly."

"I'm a quick learner. Photographic memory, remember! The deep water can't protect you forever."

"That's the plan. Now we're gonna try doing a full length."

The speed at which the colour drained from Futaba's face was both hilarious and impressive.

"B-b-but that's l-like… twenty five metres!"

"I believe in you." He punctuated his statement with an innocent half-smirk. "I'll be with you the entire time."

She allowed herself to be guided to the wall of the pool, and Ren showed her the way to hold onto the wall to best kick off from it.

"Whenever you're ready."

The pool stretched for miles in front of her.

Taking a deep breath, she kicked off from the wall, and began to move her arms and legs exactly as Ren had. When she realised that she wasn't pushing herself far enough above the water to take in air, she changed the angle of her hands, giving herself the necessary height to breathe. She was fixated on the end of the pool- she might as well have been in empty ocean, the amount of thought she gave to her surroundings. She could just about feel Ren's movements to her left, the force of him pushing water out of the way drifting over body. She was making slow progress, but she had no way of telling how fast she was going. It was taking all of her concentration to maintain the rhythm of her stroke, coordinating each pull with a breath. What leftover willpower remained was spent on ignoring the growing burn across her body, especially her arms. Moving through water was _hard_.

By the time she reached the opposite wall her arms had pretty much gone numb. She clutched the edge of the pool, taking in deep breaths of air, feeling the burning begin to subside. Ren looked immeasurably happy with her efforts, and she gave a weak thumbs-up.

"...gotta rest. Give me…" She raised her head, frowning. "Where'd the other kid go?"

Ren turned, looking to where the strangers had been jumping into the pool. One of them was diving under the water repeatedly, an increasingly more distressed expression on his face. Ren pulled himself out of the pool, almost running around the edge to where the other child was. There was red on the edge of the pool wall. Of the children surfaced- by Ren's guess he couldn't have been any older than fourteen.

"He hit his head…"

Ren dived into the pool, quickly spotting the other child near the bottom of the pool- the plume of blood was impossible to miss. Ren pulled him to the surface, ensuring that he was face-up before moving to the stairs, dragging the child from the pool and lying him down on the floor. Ren knelt next to him, hunching over, placing his ear next to his mouth and nose, listening and watching for breathing- he could feel none.

"Futaba! How do I start CPR?" He yelled. She had just pulled herself free from the water and was hurrying towards him.

She made a distressed whine, recalling any of the posters that were in Tae Takemi's office or anything she had seen online.

"Uh! 5 breaths for drowners first! Pinch his nose shut and tilt his head back!"

Ren wasted no time, following Futaba's instructions before blowing a lungful of air into him. Five breaths later, and he looked to Futaba again.

"Chest compressions! One hand over the sternum, arms locked straight."

Two compressions caused reflexive biological function to return, and the child coughed up a mix of mist, foam and water, grabbing Ren for support as he did so. Ren held him up, turning his head away to direct any remaining spray away from him. There was clearly a wound on the back of his head.

"Futaba, go get the front desk, or anyone, to come here and help."

She nodded and disappeared. Ren turned his attention back to the child; he had finished retching, and was now sobbing quietly.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"H-H-Hide." He squeaked, one hand cradling the back of his head.

"Okay Hide, I think you hit your head, but you're going to be fine, my friend's getting help."

 **Skull:** YOOOO! I HEAR OUR BOY SAVED A LIFE

 **Panther:** What?

 **Noir:** Really?

 **Oracle:** Sorry…

 **Fox:** That's our Joker, always the hero.

 **Joker:** Come on, what else was I supposed to do?

 _Skull has set Ren's nickname to Paraphantom_

 **Paraphantom:** neat

Ren set his phone down, shaking his head. He had brushed his teeth thoroughly upon returning home, almost swallowing his mouthwash in an attempt to feel clean again. The questioning look he got from Sojiro had prompted him to explain himself, and he barista's expression had shifted between disbelief, to a grimace, and then finally disappointment.

"As if there were no pool guards there… someone will probably get fired over this. Still, you saved a life. Guess you've made a habit of being a hero, huh?"

Ren laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. Sojiro sighed.

"Still, mouth to mouth, that's… well. I hope your mouthwash is strong. Lot of folks been getting ill recently."

"The pool water should have killed most of whatever came out of the kid. I guess we'll have to wait." Ren replied.

"Yeah, well. I'm going to head back, to check on Futaba. The adrenaline wiped her out. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Ren watched Sojiro leave and lock the door behind him. He groaned, rubbing his eyes.

 _Now then._ He thought. _What stroke would be best to teach next?_


	3. Stalled Progress

" _The epidemic ravaging Japan is showing no signs of slowing down, despite efforts to contain and cure it. Case studies have shown that the infection is viral, and spreads through contact with bodily fluids. It has an incubation period ranging between five and ten days, though there have apparently been cases as short as two days, and the early stage of infection is similar to that of influenza. However, the second stage adds confusion and visual and auditory hallucinations to the list of symptoms. So far, no cases have progressed beyond this point._

 _It is recommended that infected individuals are quarantined, and direct skin contact is avoided. Should new symptoms manifest, the public will be notified via this radio channel. In the meantime-"_

Sojiro sighed and turned the radio off, keeping his distance as Ren was stricken by another coughing fit. As soon as he'd shown flu-like symptoms, Sojiro had moved him into the spare bedroom in his house. As much as he wanted Ren to stay where he was used to, he couldn't risk spreading the infection to his customers. He felt bad wearing nitrile gloves in order to help Ren keep his fluids up, but once again, he couldn't risk spreading the infection.

The door creaked as Futaba looked in, the worry on her face unmissable. Ren noticed her and waved weakly. Sojiro left the room, though not before pointing to the box of gloves by the door. Futaba took the hint and slipped a pair on before approaching Ren.

"Hey."

"Hey." Silence. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Bad. I've been worse, but this just makes me feel so… drained."

His voice lacked that confidence, that power that it normally had. Instead, it was faint and hoarse. Futaba took one of his hands in hers. The gloves made the contact feel wrong.

"You'll be better for tomorrow, right? Right? Because we're going to the water park and I really want you to be there so we can go on slides and wave pools and-"

Ren laughed at her outburst, but soon had to turn his head away as it dissolved into a coughing fit. She squeezed his hand, gently stroking him with her thumb as he got his breath back. He sighed, meeting her worried gaze with his own exhausted one. She didn't like how red his eyes were. They watered almost constantly. He gestured, and she lifted the glass of water to his lips. He took a few tentative sips before moving away. Futaba set the glass down.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm not going to be able to go. Even if i had the strength to, you heard the radio. I'd end up sweating into the water and getting all of you sick. Don't worry, Sojiro'll look after me. The others will make sure you're okay tomorrow."

"But i wanted to spend it with you…" she sniffed. Ren raised his hand to pat her head, but one look at the sweat on his palm lead him to drop it again. He simply closed his eyes.  
"I know, but look at me. I can't go anywhere like this. As soon as I'm better, we'll go again, I promise you. But please, enjoy tomorrow. I'll have Sojiro bring that console over here or something."

"B-but I wanted you to see how much better I am around p-people now…" Ren's heart broke at the sight of the tears in her eyes. He squeezed her hand again.

"I'm sure Ann has a waterproof camera or something, the others can take photos and you can show me when you get back!"

Futaba lightly batted the side of his head with a gloved hand.

"You just want to see me in a swimsuit."

"I can neither confirm nor deny that statement." He said with a smirk.

The pair of them laughed, but there was no hiding the disappointment both of them felt. Ren let out another deep sigh.

"I'm going to get some rest, I think. This sickness is making me so tired, all of the time."

"Y-yeah. I'll, um… make sure your glass is full when you wake up." The smile she punctuated her statement with was forced, and both of them knew it.

"Thank you, Futaba. Have fun tomorrow, you hear? I'm ordering you to have fun, as your leader."

Futaba merely giggled and picked up his glass. She took care not to touch anything as she carried it to the kitchen, getting Sojiro to turn the tap on for her. The phone began to ring as she left the kitchen. By the time she got back to Ren's room, he was already fast asleep. She set the glass down on the table next to him. She was momentarily taken by how peaceful he looked, when he wasn't coughing his lungs up. She took a moment to sweep his fringe away from his eyes, and patted his head before turning away. She peeled off her gloves and binned them immediately, only then did she pull the door shut, leaving it ajar just in case he called out.

* * *

"Sakura residence."

"Is that Sojiro Sakura?"

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"My name is Atami, I'm a social worker hired on behalf of the Amamiya family. Do you have time to talk now?"

"Yes, but what's this about?"

"Thank you, Sakura-san. I'm sure you're aware that Master Amamiya's probation ends soon, so as the family's social worker I'm to facilitate his move back to his family, including the transport of any of his belongings and assets, as well as ensuring his academic progress is preserved. As it stands at the moment, we intend to make arrangements for his move in mid-to-late March."

"Okay…?"

"Is that time period acceptable?"

"On paper, yes, but there's a problem at the moment."

"A problem? Would it be possible to talk to Master Amamiya?"

Sojiro didn't bother to try and hide his sigh.

"I'm afraid that's part of the problem. He's ill. We think it might be the one on the news. It doesn't sound like anyone is sure how long it'll last, but I can tell you right now that he's in no condition to do anything like preparing to leave so soon."

"I'll make sure any arrangements for the near future are marked as "provisional" before it's known for sure what this disease does. Have there been, or is there likely to be any other problems regarding his departure?"

Now, Sojiro was not blind. Far from it, actually. He liked to think he was pretty perceptive. And even the oblivious could see that the bond he and his friends shared was abnormally strong. On top of that, there was his cat to consider.

"Yes, actually. He has a pet. It was some stray cat, but I let him keep it, to teach him responsibility or something. It's very well behaved."

"I can check with his family to make sure that won't be a problem. I assume he has the means to transport his cat?"

"He keeps it in his bag, for crying out loud. It never steps out of line."

"So he has it sorted. Very good. Is there anything else?"

There _was_ something else. He was torn on whether to mention it, since he was still coming to terms with it himself. He had had his suspicions almost immediately after Futaba made her sudden and impossible recovery from the depths of depression. Following that, the effort he made to acclimate her to the outside world and, more importantly, people, had been enormous. He'd noticed how happy she was around him, and he'd notice the smiles and glances they'd share. Futaba walking through the door on Valentine's Day had been the nail in the coffin.

She would be _devastated_.

"I can say with certainty that it will not be easy for him or his friends."

"That's normal, Sakura-san. Though some advice we have is that Master Amamiya should break the news to his friends. Are there any other likely complications?"

"Other than the illness, no. Are you phoning from a number I can call back?"

"Yes, Sakura-san. We would appreciate it if you updated us if anything comes up."

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sakura-san. I'll leave you be for now."

The line clicked off, and he pocketed his phone, shaking his head. Though he would never say it to him, Sojiro wanted Ren to stay, even if that opinion was driven solely for his desire for Futaba to be happy. What a headache the day was turning out to be.

* * *

 **Group: Exorcised Phantoms**

 **Skull:** yo, we meeting at leblanc for this?

 **Noir:** yes, tomorrow at 10 am. Don't be late!

The next morning, Leblanc was full of ex-Phantom Thieves. They were sat in one booth, each with a cup of coffee in front of them with the exception of Ryuji, who had water. He claimed he still couldn't handle the taste of coffee, despite how good it was. Five bags sat under the table. They were eagerly awaiting their final two members, who despite literally living at Leblanc, were not here. They were too caught up in conversation to care much, though. That, and their excitement for the day. When the doorbell jingled and Futaba walked in, Ann stood up to greet her.

"Hey, Futaba-chan! You ready for today?" Ann's enthusiasm was dampened when she noticed the lack of Ren, and the lack of bag on Futaba's shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"Nngh… Ren's sick. He can't come today." Futaba mumbled.

"Oh, that is… unfortunate…" Haru said. "Are you coming Futaba?"

Futaba was nervously twisting a strand of her hair in her hands. She looked on the verge of tears.

"N-no… I wanna stay with Ren."

From behind the counter, Sojiro raised an eyebrow.

"I can take care of him, Futaba. You don't have to worry."

She shook her head.

"No,I'll keep him company. In fact i was going to move his console to his room…"

The rest of the group watched as the small girl disappeared upstairs, lacking all of her usual energy and enthusiasm. Yusuke turned to Sojiro.

"Ren is ill?"

"Yes. I assumed he'd have told you."

"He probably didn't want us to worry." Makoto added, sighing under her breath. "Is she definitely okay?"

Sojiro shrugged.

"If she doesn't want to go, she doesn't want to go. I'm not about to force her."

Futaba came down the stairs with her hands full of various controllers, and she wordlessly left the cafe.

"I really don't get her." Yusuke said. "But we will miss the train if we wait around here. We should go."

The five of them finished their drinks and gathered their bags, Sojiro stepping out from behind the counter to collect their cups. Their spirits had been dampened, he could tell. They filed out of the shop, Haru ensuring that the door closed behind them. And, as they made their way to Yongen-Jaya station, they did not notice the blue butterfly that took off from the plants beside the door.

* * *

Ren was, miraculously, still awake when Sojiro knocked on his door that evening. He put down the book he was reading and attempted to pull himself into a sitting position. Failing that, he just lay there and turned to face his guest. The smell of coffee graced Sojiro's approach; he was holding a fresh cup.

"Figured you'd might want something other than water. Don't worry, it's decaf. Though with how you've been, the caffeine might have helped."

"Y-yeah, probably." His voice had gotten worse- it was scarcely more than a hoarse whisper at this point. "How are the others?"

"They were a bit put out that you couldn't go with them, and that Futaba stayed behind with you as well. Where is she, by the way?"

"Toilet."

"Oh. Right."

The two sat in silence. Well, it would have been silence if Ren's breathing hadn't been so laboured. Sojiro could swear he heard a sort of rattle with every breath.

"Listen, I, uh, got a phone call from someone named Atami yesterday. Does the name ring a bell?"

"Not really."

"Well, she, uh, she's your family's social worker. They're starting to make arrangements for the end of your probation. They're thinking mid-to-late March."

 _Sojiro, you old fool. You shouldn't have said anything._

Sojiro felt like he'd just witnessed the light leave Ren's eyes. The boy said nothing, instead opting to reach for the coffee Sojiro had brought him. He helped him lift it to his lips. Ren stared at the ceiling for a few more seconds.

"Okay." He whispered. "I… I'll think about it."

"I'm sorry, I know it's a ton I've dropped on you."

"I'll think about it." He coughed, yawned, and coughed again. "Tomorrow. Tired."

Sojiro's gloved hand gently clapped his shoulder.

"You just rest up. You'll be over this soon enough."

* * *

 **Group: Sakura Support Group**

 _Haru Okumura has added Ryuji Sakamoto to the group._

 _Haru Okumura has added Makoto Niijima to the group._

 _Haru Okumura has added Ann Takamaki to the group._

 _Haru Okumura has added Yusuke Kitagawa to the group._

 **Haru:** I feel awful going behind her back like this, but I needed to discuss something with you all.

 **Ryuji:** guessing this is about futaba?

 **Haru:** Yes. After what she and the rest of us went through, I didn't think she would ever give up so easily again.

 **Ann:** well, those two are totally attached to each other. Can you blame her for wanting to look after him?

 **Ryuji:** wait what

 **Yusuke:** That may be true but I think I get where Haru's coming from.

 **Makoto:** She did seem very quiet when she decided to stay behind, like she had no energy at all.

 **Ann:** you don't think she's sick, do you?

 **Yusuke:** she'd be coughing if she was.

 **Haru:** And to add to an already strange situation, there is this.

 _Haru sent a photo._

 **Ryuji:** a butterfly?

 **Yusuke:** quite unlike any i have ever seen

 **Yusuke:** its symmetry is exquisite. You must capture it for me!

 **Haru:** That won't be necessary. It- or she, rather, wants us to meet up in Inokashira Park tomorrow. She claims to have an important message that all of us need to hear, as well as a demonstration.

 **Makoto:** A demonstration of what, though?

 **Haru:** She's refusing to tell me. She claims that we all need to be there for it, Ren and Futaba excluded.

 **Ann:** soooooo its a secret meeting?

 **Haru:** Yes.

 **Yusuke:** You keep calling this butterfly "she". What is her name?

…

 **Yusuke:** Haru?

 **Haru:** She says her name is Lavenza.

* * *

Futaba knocked on Ren's door. She coughed.

"Reeeeeeeeen, are you up? Covered up? I'm coming in."

Futaba opened the door, taking care not to spill any water as she moved.

"How are you this morning? Any-"

"Ssshh."

Futaba stopped walking, squinting into the darkness of the room, stifling the next cough as it expanded inside of her. The room stank of sickness and sweat. She could just about make out the glint of Ren's feverish eyes, and the look of concentration on his face. She lowered her voice.

"What?"

He had a hand raised, a single finger pointing to the ceiling. His point moved slowly, as if he were tracking something.

"Don't you hear it?" He wheezed. His finger stopped moving. He frowned. "It's...gone?"

Futaba raised a brow.

"You're not going crazy on me, are you?" She reached over him to open the curtains slightly, letting some light into the room. She wished she hadn't when she got a good look at Ren.

He was awfully pale, and it was impossible to miss the profuse sweat on his face and the surrounding sheets. Even his hair was damp. His eyes had reddened, and they were still streaming. His breath was even more ragged than it had been the day before, and she could hear it rattling in his chest. On top of that, he was trembling.

"Oh my God, Ren! You're soaked! You need to get changed. Can you stand?"

"I th-think so."

She watched as he moved, first swinging his legs over the side of the bed before pushing himself into a sitting position. He swayed as he did so. As the duvet fell away Futaba saw that it wasn't just his face that was pale, it was his entire body.

"You know what I've changed my mind. Which drawers are your things in?"

Ren took a moment to remember where they were in his new room.

"Uh, new shorts in the third draw, underwear in the s-ssssssecond." He broke into a coughing fit, his entire body shaking as he retched. He shuddered as it ended. Futaba set the fresh clothing beside him before holding out a plastic bag in front of him and scrunching her eyes shut. He looked at her, bemused, before realising she couldn't see his confusion.

"W-what are you d-d-doing?"

"Hurry up and get changed! Put your old ones in the bag."

Futaba forced herself to keep her eyes shut and her head turned away as she heard the rustling of fabric. She flinched when the bag became heavier in her grip. After another minute, she heard Ren settle back into bed. She opened her eyes, tying the bag tightly shut.

"Thank you, Futaba." He coughed. "Thank you for keeping me company. You and Mona both."

"We'd do it any time, for anyone." She said. "We're a team. And more than that, you're my key item."

Ren chuckled and remarkably didn't cough immediately after. He closed his eyes, trying to breath deeply. She tried not to listen to the sound in his chest.

"Ah, you two always cheer me up."

 _Two?_

Futaba frowned, checking the room for any feline presence. She was sure she hadn't let Morgana in. Hell, he didn't want to come in for risk of getting sick himself and burdening Sojiro with veterinary bills. Morgana certainly wasn't in here, and Ren was talking in the present tense, as if he were. So why?

Then she remembered the radio broadcast- and her heart sank as she realised Ren had hit the second phase of the sickness. Auditory and visual hallucinations. After that, unknown territory. She made to leave before she burst into tears.

"I-I'll b-b-be back l-later with games, alr-right?"

She left his room and almost slammed the door shut, only letting the tears fall once she was fully out of earshot. She had to be strong while he fought the disease. She could do that much for him.

She coughed as she disposed of his clothes.


	4. Sleeping Dragon

Makoto was the last to arrive at Inokashira park the following day. She had spotted Haru and Ann sitting at the other side of the lake, and by the time she had walked around, Yusuke and Ryuji had arrived. Much to her surprise, Morgana was curled up on Haru's lap.

"Ah! Mako-chan's here. Now we can get started."

"Sorry I'm late." She said in reply, smiling sheepishly. "I was a little busy. So, what's this about?"

Morgana sat up as Haru began to explain the situation.

"As you know from yesterday, I was contacted by Lavenza, the attendant that helped us once Mementos fused with reality. She dropped quite a lot of information on me, and I'm still processing it myself. So I think it would be better for her to explain it."

Makoto hadn't realised that Haru was wearing a necklace, and was caught off-guard when the crystalline butterfly there fluttered its wings and detached from the silver chain. An odd chiming sound emanating from it as it flew. It- Lavenza- landed on Haru's shoulder.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet on such short notice. As i didn't really get chance to thank all of you for your courage, let me make known my sincerest gratitude for your struggle against Yaldabaoth." She managed the butterfly equivalent of a bow, extending her wings wide and flat. They glittered in the sunlight. "However, as much as we all would like that to have been the end of it, a complex structure like Mementos and the Metaverse as a whole cannot just cease to exist overnight. The flash of light you all saw following your battle with that so-called god was like the epicentre of an explosion. The majority of the Metaverse is gone, destroyed in an instant, but the ruins remain, and they are taking much longer to decay. We of the Velvet Room are tracking its progress, and while distortion on the scale you saw is no longer possible, the simple fact is that there is still a risk."

"How… severe is this risk?" Yusuke asked, leaning in to get a better look at Lavenza. She was about the size of the palm of his hand, and quite clearly made of thin crystal. From this close, he could see there were no blood vessels in her wings, and that said wings were translucent.

"Minimal to the general population, for they were only exposed to Mementos' energies for a few hours. The chance of them causing a distortion is next to none. But, this is where it is easier to show you. Yusuke, do you have sketching materials?"

"Of course. I never leave home without them." He said, producing a small sketch pad and a pencil.

"Excellent. I want you to pick a member of the public and sketch what you see. Which of your eyes is dominant?"

"My right. Why?"

Lavenza took off from Haru's shoulder and landed on Yusuke's face, positioning herself so that one of her wings covered Yusuke's right eye. He recoiled momentarily, before recalling what he was asked to do and studied the first person he saw. He gasped quietly before furiously scribbling away at the paper, looking up several times to adequately capture what he saw. Several minutes later he was done, and turned to face the rest of the group, holding up the sketch.

The features of the person had been left basic, the sketch only capturing their pose and posture as they walked. The scenery immediately around them was more detailed, however. The trees and bushes appeared hazy in the sketch, lensing around the person as if they were disturbing space itself slightly. Lavenza returned to Haru's shoulder.

"As you can see, space around this person was very slightly distorted. It is of no consequence, and if Mementos was still extant this distortion would be more pronounced. This is true for all except those who are distorted, and those who have accessed the Metaverse. Now, please sketch Haru for me, Yusuke. I believe the differences will speak for themselves."

Haru sat up straighter, crossing her hands in her lap as Morgana jumped out of the way. He sat near Ann's feet and watched as Yusuke sketched again. This one took him much longer, and the end result was proportionally more detailed.

He had given detail to Haru's form, showing a merge of sorts of the coat and dress she currently wore and her clothing as Noir. The lensing effect he showed in the first sketch was much more pronounced here, the world giving way beneath her. On top of that, twists of flame stretched upwards. Even on paper, it was a very striking image.

"Lavenza, could you show each of us this? In turn?" Ann asked. "I feel like we need to if it's that detailed."

"Of course."

Lavenza left Yusuke's face and positioned a wing over Ann's eye.

The sketch truly didn't do it justice. Wherever she looked on Haru, there was chaos; the boundary where Haru ended and Noir began was constantly shifting, sometimes her hands, sometimes her head. It was never static. The lake was warped impossibly be her presence, the surface of the water dipping down around her before returning to a mostly normal level. The energy that Yusuke had depicted was also moving, shifting like fire as the wind caught Haru's hair. Even through the blue tint of Lavenza's wing she could tell that the spectacle before her was technicolour. Ann turned away from Haru, and saw that it was the same for all of her present comrades. She tried not to look at the ground, as it peaked and dipped around the ex-thieves as they moved. Morgana's case was by far the most different; his form flickered between his earthly feline form and the form he took in the Metaverse, the blue of his own eyes the only constant. She looked at her own arms, watching the pink of her gloves expand and contact.

There was one more thing she noticed, something that Yusuke hadn't captured. In the immediate centre of all of their bodies, again with the exception of Morgana, there was a black mass. It gave off no light at all, as if it were a video that had failed to render correctly. It was much like a hole in space. It was only blocked from view where her Phantom Thief outfit grew. Morgana instead had a gentle light emanating from him. She blinked as Lavenza flew to the next person to show them. They went through all the same motions; a gasp, close looks at the nearest person, inspection of their own hands and body before Lavenza moved on. Once she was sat back on Haru's shoulder, Ann spoke up.

"That… thing. The dark thing. What was that?"

"All humans are born of the dark." Lavenza proclaimed matter-of-factly. "It is where distortions take hold before the Palace appears. Had you seen as we see two months ago, that darkness would not exist, absorbed and contained by your Persona. But your Personas, along with most of the Metaverse, perished in the epicentre. The ruins of Mementos yet persist, so the darkness of humanity has returned to you. That is where the risk occurs."

"We can become distorted." Makoto said. "Is that what this is?"

"Correct. Though it is not distortion as you know it, it is distortion nonetheless. The ruins of Mementos cannot support a palace. It may instead manifest as mood swings or uncharacteristic behaviour. As the distortion cannot take deep roots, it should fade with Mementos."

"Hold on though, something's buggin' me." Ryuji cut in. "Futaba's been actin' odd recently, Ren being sick and all. Think it might be something more?"

"It is possible that the stress of dealing with the Trickster during his sickness has caused her a small distortion. But as previously explained, there is no foundation for a Palace to form. Over time, she will make a full recovery."

"That's a relief."

"Take care of each other." Lavenza said. "While it may not have felt like it at the time, your struggle was a traumatic ordeal. There will be mental scars that will not heal. Spend time together to overcome this strain, for it will be difficult to do so alone." Lavenza's wings began to glow, shards of light lifting off from their surface and disappearing into the wind. "It appears this is as long as I can hold this form today. I will continue to keep watch, and update you as necessary." The glow intensified. "Farewell, Phantom Thieves. I wish you peace and good fortune."

Lavenza body became light, and then disappeared completely, leaving the group to reflect on her words. Ann and Makoto looked at each other. Yusuke was deep in thought. Haru's eyes were closed; she too was thinking. Ryuji looked mostly confused.

"So…" Yusuke began.

"Does anyone else think we should check on Ren and Futaba?" Ryuji interrupted.

"...you took the words out of my mouth." Yusuke muttered.

"I believe that would be the best thing to do, yes." Haru said, standing up and smoothing down her coat. "She seemed upset yesterday, so it's only polite that we check."

Makoto sighed, nodding in agreement.

"I hope they're both okay…"

* * *

Sojiro looked up from the glass he was cleaning as the doorbell rang, admitting five Phantom Thieves and one cat into the shop. He smiled.

"Oh, hey. Coffee all around?" He made to procure some mugs, but stopped as he realised they weren't looking for seats. They were looking at him. "Something wrong?"

"We were just wondering if we could see Ren and Futaba, actually." Makoto said with a forced smiled. "We wanted to check on them. We felt like it'd be better if we asked before walking in like last time…"

"Hoo, boy…" Sojiro gestured for them to sit at the bar, and he himself leaned down on the tabletop. "Have you been listening to the news?"

"Yes. There's been something going around, right? A virus?" Haru said.

"Yeah, that's the one. Well Ren has it, and he's not all there at the moment. It's weird like that. He claims he's hearing things. Futaba's looking after him while I run the shop. Gotta keep making money, sickness or no." He rummaged around in one of his pockets for a few seconds before sliding a key across the bar to Makoto. "Here. Look, I can't leave the shop unmanned, but I trust you lot. If you do go into his room, there's nitrile gloves and a bin by the door. Try not to touch anything in his room, and _definitely_ don't touch _anything_ outside his room wearing those gloves, not even the doorknob. The last thing I need is me getting sick. Oh, and wash your hands after. I bought some antiseptic soap specifically for this. Futaba even printed a little poster of the "correct" way to wash hands." He laughed. "That girl cares too much for her own good."

"Thanks Boss."

The five of them filed out the shop, followed by Morgana. It was only a short walk to the Sakura household. Makoto unlocked the door.

"Futaba?" Ann called once inside. "Are you alright? Sojiro gave us a key…"

No reply came.

"I can hear movement." Morgana said, his ears twitching. "Futaba's room."

"Futaba?" Ann called again, beginning to climb the stairs. There were no lights on in the house. Makoto was becoming more uncomfortable by the second. "I'm coming upstairs. Are you alright?"

After exchanging a few glances, the rest of the group followed her. The upper floor had an odd smell to it- sweat and damp, the smell of disease. The door to Futaba's room was hanging open. Ann knocked before poking her head in, looking around for a few seconds before stepping back.

"Empty."

There was one more doorway open on the corridor, the sound of heavy coughing emanating from it.

"I guess that's where Ren is." Ryuji intoned. "Man, I'm not sure if I even want to see him if he sounds like that… Ow!" Ann hit his shoulder. "Alright fine!"

Ryuji took the lead, walking to the other door and knocking.

"Yo, Ren, you alright if we come in?" Ryuji pushed the door open. "Huh?"

The rest of the Thieves huddled at the door, trying to see what had alarmed Ryuji. It wasn't too difficult to tell. There was a figure dressed in a black cloak leaning over Ren, and upon hearing their new guests enter, they turned, the beak of their mask coming into view.

"What the hell?!" Ryuji yelped.

The figure immediately broke down laughing, and it was a sound they all recognised immediately. Ryuji ducked as the mask was thrown at him by its wearer, and Futaba continued to laugh. Yusuke caught the mask and immediately began to inspect the craftsmanship.

"You make this too easy Ryuji! Your faces!"

Ryuji frowned.

"Well she's clearly okay. Oh, gloves."

Ryuji handed out the gloves, a pair for each Thief.

"How's he been?" Haru asked, approaching the bed.

"This is the quietest he's been for the past two days." Futaba said. "He's either sleeping, or coughing up a lung. He hasn't been awake much today."

His condition had clearly gotten worse. His skin was almost devoid of colour, and there was no mistaking the sheen of sweat on the visible parts of his body.

"Oh dear, he looks awful! I hope he doesn't sound as bad as he looks."

"No, he does. He can only whisper at the moment."

As if he were waiting for the perfect cue, Ren's body shuddered, and he began to cough, waking himself up in the process. Futaba immediately helped him sit up, and brought the nearby glass of water to his lips. He groaned, and then realised there were more people in the room than he was used to. He smiled gently.

"H-hi." His head dropped to his pillow. "Sorry, I didn't want you to see me like this."

Futaba hadn't been lying when she said he could only manage a whisper. Even stood right next to him, Haru could hardly hear him. The others were now crowding in, with expressions of mixed shock and sorrow.

"I r-really wouldn't st-stand that close if I-I were you." He turned away to cough a few times before settling down again. "So, how was the water park?"

"It was great!" Ann said, one of her trademark smiles beaming through for a moment before it faded. "But, it would have been better with you two there."

"Ha!" His laugh was cut short by a cough. "Well only if you wanted to catch this."

"No offense dude, but hard pass."

"Oh, I wouldn't w-w-wish it on anyone."

It didn't take long to update Ren on the water park trip. As he expected, Ann had taken a camera with her, and there were some brilliant photos, most of them involving the Thieves and the many slides inside the park. There was even a photo of all five of them, which Ann explained was taken by a kind stranger. Once again they reiterated how much they had wanted Ren and Futaba to be there. The pair just smiled sadly, deflecting further questions by saying they'll have to go again at some point.

It didn't take long for Ren to start yawning again though, and his coughing was becoming more severe.

"S-sorry guys." He wheezed. "I think I need some more sleep."

"Oh, no we're sorry for keeping you up so long." Haru replied. "Please don't apologise."

"Ha… you're too kind. Wish me luck getting to sleep with all this noise."

Makoto frowned.

"Noise?"

"Yeah, noise. It's like they're building something right outside."

The five looked to Futaba, who looked away. She held two fingers up, out of Ren's field of view; _stage two of the disease_.

"...well, you just rest up, Ren. You'll be better soon."

The five said their goodbyes, making sure to take their gloves off properly before leaving the room. Futaba saw them out, closing the door behind them. Once they were far enough away from the house, they regrouped.

"Futaba is normally much more vocal than that." Ryuji said. "I think she's distorted."

"Unfortunately, we have no way of checking for sure." Yusuke added. "Not one of us has the Nav now, do we?"

"I'll let you know if Lavenza appears again." Haru said. "For now, we should probably be getting home. Do stay safe."

They split, and as they made their individual journeys home, none of them could stop themselves imagining the way the world warped around their treasured Navigator.

* * *

 _Too hot. Way too hot. Overclocked, malware. Error found._

Futaba was lay on her bed, her head buzzing. She whimpered, and clutched her head. The bedsheet beneath her was growing damp with sweat.

 _Malware- virus. Source- Ren. Quarantine- unsuccessful. Useless useless USELESS._

She rolled back and forth, trying to shut out some of the noise that was now echoing in her mind. She couldn't block it out. It kept growing.

 _You can't do anything without him you're still a child a USELESS child who leeches off others._

She threw the covers off with a yelp, holding herself steady against the bed as she stood up. God, she was so dizzy. She lurched for the door.

 _You abandoned them because of your own weakness. You haven't grown at all. It was all him. All a farce. A play._

She staggered down the hallway, certain that she was coughing loud enough to raise the dead. The darkness stretched out in front of her, her mind playing tricks on her.

 _Warning: Core temperature exceeding safety parameters. Emergency shutdown recommended._

She stopped, leaning on the wall, taking in a few steadying breaths and trying to hold back the coughing fit. She hauled herself forward, the act of standing upright requiring a conscious effort.

 _Even now you can't help yourself you weakling, running for him now even though he's in no condition to help. You selfish weakling._

Her hand closed around the doorknob, and she practically fell into his room with a quite cry. She decided that she was more stable on the floor, and did not attempt to stand up again. She crawled towards the bed, the physical effort required inducing another coughing fit, almost reducing her to tears. She reached the bed, and with the shred of strength she had left, she pulled her body half-on, settling into a kneeling position, her head resting on his chest.

"R-Ren…" she croaked, her fingers reaching out to stroke his cheek. "H-help..."

Her eyes closed, and she slipped into the pit of unconsciousness.


	5. Shadows that Stare

Doctor Tae Takemi was not happy.

She was all for increased patient numbers, that helped pay the bills. What she was not on board with was the sheer number of patients she was getting. Nor did she particularly like how contagious the current epidemic was. Her clinic was almost completely covered in plastic sheets, and the number of empty bottles of sterilising spray was increasing steadily. She had gone through several boxes of gloves, as not only was she using a new pair for each patient, but she was enforcing that all visitors wear them. Tae herself was not wearing her favourite dress- that left too much skin exposed, too much risk of exposure. Instead, she was wearing what she thought she would never wear again following Oyamada's interference; she was wearing scrubs.

She looked up from the mountain of patient notes she had accumulated when the door opened. She opened her mouth to order her visitor to put on some gloves, but held her tongue when she saw he was already wearing them.

"I'd bet you've been lamenting the costs of sprays and gloves, haven't you, Sojiro?"

The look of distress on his face was uncharacteristic. She leaned forward.

"What's happened? You remember what I said about house calls, right?" When he didn't smile, she apologised. "Sorry. Do you want me to see for myself?"

"I think that would be quicker, yes."

Takemi found herself inside the Sakura household for the second time. She could smell the sickness in the building as soon as she stepped inside. Sojiro led her upstairs, but this time it wasn't to his daughter's room. Instead, he opened a different door, one at the end of the hall; it led to a spare bedroom. She recognised the two figures on the bed very well. Ren Amamiya was on his back, lay in the bed properly, while Futaba Sakura was kneeling at the side of the bed, her arms folded across his chest and her head resting on top of them. Both were sleeping.

She looked to Sojiro, who waved towards them dismissively- _go ahead_. She approached the pair.

She started with their vital signs, checking their pulses and blood pressures. Ren's info she had on file, and confirmed nothing to be out of place, apart from the fact that he may have lost weight. Futaba was a different case. Her only encounter with the girl was an informal house call, just to ensure she wasn't comatose. Thus, she had no existing information on her. Another name to add to the files later. Takemi cringed internally. Next, she placed a stethoscope to Futaba's back, listening carefully. The sound was much like all of the cases she had seen thus far.

"These two had the sickness, didn't they?" She asked, continuing her checks.

"Yeah. But this morning, I found them like this. Unresponsive."

"Makes sense. We're still collecting information on the disease, but this is pretty much what's happening to a lot of people who have it. You won't have heard about this third phase yet, since it's not been peer-reviewed."

Sojiro wanted to ask a question, but knew that there was a 50% chance he wouldn't like the answer. He groaned.

"Look, I have to ask. Has anyone, you know…"

"Only those with compromised respiratory and/or immune systems or longstanding respiratory issues. Your family is safe."

The word "family" caused Sojiro's next question to die in his throat.

"But this unconsciousness is still a problem. The bigger hospitals have just been putting patients on drips to make sure they don't dehydrate or starve to death. As much as you'll hate hearing this, these two need to join them. I can arrange for an ambulance to be sent once I'm back in my clinic."

Takemi finished her notes and stood up, sterilising her equipment. She looked at the sleeping pair again.

"Say… have you tried to move them? Kneeling like that won't be good for her, you know, given we don't know how long she'll be like that."

"As soon as I couldn't wake them, I came straight to you."

"That's a no then. I can help you move your daughter to her room. Less risk of damage that way."

"Oh. Sure. I'll uh, grab her arms."

"Under the shoulders, Sojiro."

"Right."

As Takemi stepped towards Futaba, she felt… _something._ By the way Sojiro froze, she guessed he felt it too. A presence, like something was staring them down, daring them to try and touch her. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at Sojiro.

"Do you…?"

"Yeah."

She tried to move forward again, and almost physically recoiled at the feeling that greeted her. Something had stolen away the willpower she needed to even approach the sleeping pair.

"How about, we just, put her on top?" Sojiro suggested.

"We can try."

This time, there was no repulsion. They were allowed to approach, and Sojiro held Futaba's body in place while Takemi moved her legs. Once she was stable on top of Ren, they let go.

"Here's what I can do. I can catheterise the two of them, and I can order in a supply of IV fluid to stop them from dehydrating. Clearly there's something up here. Tell me- Futaba's a Phantom Thief too, isn't she?"

Takemi punctuated her question with a sly grin. She already knew the answer.

"How did…" Sojiro frowned. "Forget it. Yes. How long will those drips take to get here?"

"A couple of hours. Don't worry, I'll personally see to it that they both survive this. I sort of owe that to Ren." She laughed. "You know, for someone who calls himself a thief, he wasn't so great at keeping it secret. Did you ever tell him the name of a person only you knew about, who was giving you trouble, only for them to stop soon after?"

Sojiro didn't answer. He knew Takemi knew the answer.

"Well, I'll get those drips ordered. I'll be back later to set them up, with full instructions on how to keep on top of them, alright? And don't tell anyone this, but it's on me."

"I-I can't thank you enough."

"You don't have to."

Sojiro saw her out. Morgana was sat on his wall, staring at him. He waited for Takemi to disappear from sight.

"Hey, cat. Come here."

Those piercing blue eyes narrowed in what appeared to be annoyance before he leapt down from the wall and trotted into Sojiro's house. He closed the door behind them and stood by it.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this._

"Look, Ren and Futaba are in a bad state. I don't know if you even understand humans, or you're just incredibly well behaved. But, on the off chance you can understand… I need you to bring them all here. Can you do that?"

Morgana nodded- actually nodded- and Sojiro opened the door, watching the cat swiftly disappear from view.

* * *

Ann was walking with some of her classmates, discussing the results of their last english test. She had done well, and half the class was now asking for her help. It was nice to have attention that wasn't based on her appearance, for a change. Her conversation was interrupted upon reaching the school gates, because Morgana pretty much leapt straight into her arms. She yelped in surprise.

"Mona?" She turned to her classmates, who were looking at her with shock, or fawning over Morgana. "I'll have to talk later, someone here is very far from home."

She waved her classmates off before talking to Mona, taking care to ensure no-one was around when she did so.

"What's wrong?"

"The boss wants everyone to meet at his house. I think it's to do with Ren."

Ann didn't ask any further questions. She just relayed Morgana's message to the group chat and caught the next train towards Shibuya. She waited there for the rest of the group, and after half an hour of waiting, they were all together on the train towards Yongen-Jaya. None of them elected to speak- they didn't want to. Speaking would start them worrying.

They found Sojiro pacing outside of LeBlanc. He looked up when the Thieves arrived, and the worry in his eyes was startling.

"It's quicker to show you than explain."

He led them to his house, gesturing for them to enter. They filed in, not needing to be told which room to go to. Ryuji was first into the room, and watched as Takemi finished inserting a drip into Ren's arm and stood up. The rest of the group squeezed in, and Takemi regarded them with the same cool detachment she always showed.

"Hmm, the great thieves convene." She laughed at the shock on their faces. "Don't worry. Not a soul will know. Though you might want to tell your leader how to hide his secret life better once he wakes up."

They stared at the unconscious forms of Ren and Futaba, the latter lying on top of the former. A drip ran into one of their arms, and other tubes lead under the sheet that had been placed over them. There was an unspoken agreement not to ask.

"Is there… a reason why they're on the same bed?" Haru asked.

"Go ahead and try to separate them." Takemi waved an arm towards the bed. "You'll see."

Takemi left the room. The thieves could just about hear her explaining the drips to Sojiro. They glanced at each other, unsure of what to do. Eventually, Haru stepped forward, taking four steps towards the bed before she froze, stifling a whimper.

"Haru? What's wrong?" Makoto approached.

Haru's eyes were wide, locked on the corner between the bed and the wall. That was what Makoto thought at first. But then, as she drew level, she could see what Haru saw. She could see _it_. She too froze in her tracks.

"G-guys, c-c-come closer…"

They ended up in a line, each of them the same distance from the corner of the room. They couldn't force themselves to take a step closer, for _it_ watched from the corner. An unblinking pair of eyes, barely tangible, set in a sickly mass of shadows. Haru took a few experimental steps back and forward, confirming her suspicion. _It_ was only visible from a certain distance, but _its_ effect was apparent before it came into view. When stepping just out of visible range, Haru could feel an unnatural presence, unmistakably supernatural for it seemed to drown out all sound and emotion, save for anxiety. One more step revealed the creature, coiled around Futaba, and by extension, Ren. What could have been a shadowy hand rested on Futaba's head, but it was difficult to say. _It_ was barely there, constantly flickering and shifting, as if it were a flame caught in a breeze. The only constant were its eyes, staring straight at her, strikingly pale compared to the rest of its form.

"J-just to check… is it looking at you too?" Haru said aloud.

"Yes…" Yusuke mumbled. "How ghastly…"

Morgana's fur was stood on end- not even he could get close. The creature continued to stare. Ryuji was sweating, trying to force himself to take a step forward. He leaned forward in an attempt to move, and the shadows went still. Haru was released from its gaze as it focused on Ryuji. He cried out and retreated, one hand clutching his head while the other pointed to the creature.

"It was in my head!"

The others stepped out of its range, normal emotion returning to them. The sound of boiling water became audible from downstairs. Haru frowned, and pulled a pair of gloves from the box by the door.

"What are you doing?" Morgana asked, his eyes switching between her and the corner of the room. "Wait… are you trying to get closer?!"

"I'm just going to check Ren's pulse. That's all."

They watched as Haru stepped into the creature's range. Her determined expression did not falter, and then she was reaching forwards, two fingers resting on Ren's neck. She looked to the other thieves, confused. The shadows were no longer writhing, instead they sat as a dark fluid on Futaba's skin. Yusuke had also come forward, and was observing from a safe distance as Haru went to touch the ichor. It clung to her finger as she pulled away, hanging on for a moment before it returned to Futaba.

"Does it know? Perhaps it truly is in our heads."

"I don't like it." Ryuji said. He was stood near the door.

"It is strange…" Haru said. "But this does look like distortion."

Haru saw that upon closer inspection, the shadows were not just on Futaba's skin. The blood vessels just beneath the surface were also darkened.

"But how would we go about changing her heart again?" Ann asked. "The Meta-nav is gone."

"I don't know."

"Hey Haru!" Ryuji shouted. "Do you think now that you're right next to them you could separate them?"

Yusuke's eyes widened as Ryuji said "separate". The anxiety returned in an instant, rooting him in place, leaving him unable to move as the shadows swarmed around Haru. She screamed, pushing herself backwards with the sort of urgency that accompanied mortal danger. Ann pulled her into her arms as soon as she was clear. Makoto glowered at Ryuji. Rapid footsteps approached, and Sojiro threw the door open.

"What happened?!"

Haru was shaking, tears streaming down her face. Her expression was one of terror.

"I-i-i-it g-gets inside your h-head…." she stammered, tripping over her own words. She took several steadying breaths. Her sobs lessened. "It's Futaba's d-d-distortion… she doesn't w-want to be separated…"

"Did it show you anything?" Yusuke asked. Sojiro watched, confused.

"A t-tower. I think that's the k-keyword."

"Keyword? What?"

"Oh, right. When we were doing our thing, we need three words to get inside someone's heart and change it." Ryuji explained to Sojiro. "The name of the person, the place of the distortion, and what it actually is. So, that's Futaba, this house, and a tower. But, we uh, don't have the navigator any more."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning we can't get in there yet." Yusuke finished. His hand was twitching.

Sojiro almost missed the knocking at the front door over the sound of his own heartbeat. He excused himself from the room as Ann continued to comfort Haru. It was probably someone who heard the scream and came to check on whoever screamed. He realised halfway to the door that it might make him look bad. He groaned, mentally preparing himself for the slew of questions that he would surely be bombarded with. He opened the door and almost missed the knocker, who was far shorter than he was expecting. Yellow eyes stared up at him.

 _Great, another weird one._

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"This is the home of one Sojiro Sakura, is it not?"

"Speaking."

"Excellent. May I enter?"

The girl at the door looked very young, but was dressed very oddly. A bright blue dress and headband, not unlike a maid's, with long black gloves and well-polished black shoes. She carried under one arm an enormous book that could easily have been used as a doorstop. Sojiro stepped aside, bidding her entry.

"They're, uh, upstairs."

"Thank you." The girl bowed respectfully.

Sojiro remained at the door for a few seconds in his confusion. He sighed and shook his head.

"These kids keep getting weirder…"

Lavenza announced her presence to the thieves by knocking on the door. She was, of course, greeted by expressions of shock. She waved them off.

"Pardon my intrusion, but my ability to hold this form should speak for itself. She's distorted, isn't she?"

Lavenza made to approach Futaba, but Makoto stopped her.

"Wait, there's something in the corner of the room that won't let you get close if you think of separating them."

"Understood."

Lavenza closed the distance and knelt next to Futaba, beginning to inspect the darkness that permeated her.

"So, how did you even get here? I mean, in human form?" Makoto asked.

"You saw how distortion affects the unseen world? We of the Velvet Room are intrinsically tied to the Metaverse, which is now leaking through to the real world, almost like background radiation. It has given me the strength to take this form, which is fortunate for you, as you have no way of accessing the Metaverse without me." She faltered. "Though I am not sure how such a powerful distortion has been sustained on naught but ruins…"

"Wait, you can get us there?"

"Correct. I need the distortion keyword first though."

"Oh, that's easy, Haru already found out."

"It was less "found out" and more "had forcibly inserted into my head", no thanks to you, Ryuji." Haru punctuated her statement with a dangerous smile. He looked away. Haru turned to Lavenza. "It's "tower"."

Lavenza stepped away from Futaba. She placed her book on the floor in the centre of the room, rifling through the pages. The pages were full of symbols that none of the thieves recognised. Lavenza tapped one, watching as it emitted a blue glow. She then carried on turning the pages, finding another symbol and tapping it. She leaned down over the book.

"Futaba Sakura, Sojiro Sakura's house."

She stepped away from the book as the glow intensified.

"One more word from me will open the portal, and you can access the palace. Are you ready to enter?"

Sojiro appeared in the doorway. Once again he found himself in a scene that he couldn't quite understand.

"Is this, uh, normal?"

Ann shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Sojiro Sakura, the Phantom Thieves are about to start their rescue mission. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to keep this portal safe. Nothing will come through from the other side." Lavenza said. She turned to the thieves. "Are you ready?"

No more words needed to be said, save for one. Lavenza faced the book and uttered a completely alien word, and a blue light split the air above the book. It widened into a tunnel, air rushing in to fill the new vacuum. Sojiro could just about see a darkness at the end of it. He took a step back.

"What Wakaba would have given to see this…"

"Alright then, as of this point we are all Phantom Thieves again. We can't fail, we're all experts. Hurry up and let's go!"

Morgana dashed into the portal. Sojiro could have sworn he saw his silhouette become bipedal halfway through the tunnel.

"Just wait, Sojiro-san." Haru said, being helped to her feet by Ann. "We'll have her back in no time."

"Yeah! Besides, we've done it before." Ryuji cracked his knuckles and stepped into the blue light.

Yusuke shook his head and followed after him. Haru released herself from Ann's grip and stepped forward. Ann was about to follow her when Lavenza held up a hand.

"You must take an object from this world with you. It will act as an anchor for the link, and I'll be able to open the portal on command then."

"Oh, ummm, can it be anything?"

"A personal effect of Futaba would provide a much stronger signal."

Ann looked at Sojiro. He shrugged.

"I think there's a model bike Ren got her. Will that do?"

"A treasured gift will do perfectly."

Sojiro left the room and soon returned with the model, carefully handing it to Ann.

"You best not lose that. She'll hurt you if you do."

"We'll be careful."

Ann stepped into the tunnel. As soon as she crossed the threshold, all noise from the real world was replaced with a howling wind, whipping her hair back and causing her to stagger. That blue glow was all around her. The floor beneath her was crystalline, and sang as she struggled to keep her balance. She could feel a rush of power, growing as she progressed, and soon she found herself standing upright, unfazed by the wind that moments ago threatened to topple her. The power was growing, the flames of her heart reigniting after months without use. The familiar weight of her whip faded into existence over her hip. Despite herself, she laughed to herself. It must have shown when she emerged, because the others looked at her strangely. She remembered the model.

"Lavenza told me to bring it. Something about an anchor to make tending the portal easier?"

They had emerged in a cave. Ann made a small hollow in the gravel and set the bike down in it.

"Right then." She said, straightening up. "Shall we begin?"

The stepped out of the cave, and into the Metaverse once again.


	6. Silent Gardens

It was a strange feeling, being back in the Metaverse. There was something indescribable about it. Maybe it was the initial rush of power and strength felt upon entering, or perhaps it was how everything could look so familiar and natural, and yet feel so alien. There were places where the Metaverse was indistinguishable from reality, and there were places that could never exist in the real world.

The area where the Phantom Thieves emerged was definitely one of the latter.

The cave entrance was little more than a crack on the side of a steep mountain, unforgiving grey crags dropping down at a lethal angle towards a red sea below. The water was the same colour as the rain that had engulfed Tokyo two months prior. Ruins occasionally interrupted the otherwise uniform surface. There were buildings that they recognised down there; the shattered remains of palaces they had raided. The mountain's shadow pointed out across the sea.

The mountain they were stood on was the only solid ground visible. The sea of red stretched in all directions to the horizon, a horizon that curved far too steeply, as if the planet they were stood on was far smaller than Earth. The sky above them was still a bright blue, though a tinge of orange was just visible around the bulk of the mountain.

"There's our tower."

Morgana was pointing up towards the plateau above them. Following his gaze, the Thieves could just about make out a building stretching up into the clouds.

"We can't do anything from here. We need to get onto the plateau first."

The climb was harsh- the rocks making up the mountain were pointed at best, and razor-sharp at worst. Many sat loose on the mountainside, and others crumbled as soon as any weight was put on them. By the time they reached the mercifully flat ground that was the plateau, all were suffering grazes and cuts. Despite that, they were silent, staring in awe at the scale of the palace before them.

Makoto guessed that the plateau was two kilometers in diameter, with the tower extending up into the sky and out of view from the dead centre. Five hundred metres of barren rock separated the edge of the plateau from well-kept and vibrant gardens, neat hedgerows glowing in the setting sun, the scent of flowers drifting on the breeze. A large metallic ring jutted from the ground just outside the first hedgerow. They could see no further

The tower itself was almost incomprehensibly tall, with three enormous cables anchored in the ground somewhere within the gardens. Regularly spaced balconies, if they could be called that considering how large they were, interrupted the otherwise uniform cylinder. Glowing conduits ran up the length of the tower and into the sky above the clouds. What lay above was a mystery. The entire structure was glowing gold in the sunset.

"How can a palace this big even exist?!" Morgana yelled, staring wide-eyed at the point the tower vanished into the clouds. "It feels so stable too… the Metaverse is mostly gone, so how?"

"We won't find out by standing around out here. We should investigate." Yusuke said, pointing to a gap in the outermost row of hedges. "That seems like the best place to start."

It was apparent almost immediately that the tower wanted no visitors. The neat appearance of the hedges extended no further than the outside edge, for inside the hedges were unkempt, thorned branches jutting from the undergrowth. It didn't need to be said that they should stick together- getting separated in a hedge maze was the last thing they needed in an unfamiliar palace. While the greenery didn't look like much from the outside, they seemed to stretch up once inside the maze, blotting out the daylight and casting the narrow paths into shadow. The hedges grew taller as they progressed through the ring, making it progressively more difficult to see. The fading sunlight certainly wasn't helping.

An opening appeared in the endless green, and Ann almost tripped over the metal ring in the ground in her haste to get out of the dark. On close inspection, it was not featureless. Small channels were carved into it, linking circles and symbols together. She couldn't make sense of them, though she did recognise a few of them that she had seen on Necronomicon. The next area was filled with flowerbeds. Almost all of the blooms were some shade of green, With some red appearing occasionally. The path was visible due to the low height of the flowers, and for that the Thieves were thankful. Crossing it took no time at all. They were not as fortunate with the next ring, as there was another hedge maze within, the corridors far more narrow than the previous maze, forcing them into single file and, in places, squeezing between the branches sideways. All the while, it became more and more difficult to see as the sun continued to set.

By the time the exit came into view, twilight had truly set in. The sun was no longer visible, and the light was quickly fading.

"I have had it with all these hedges." Ann grunted, swatting aside another branch and grimacing as it snapped back and hit her arm. "Part of me wants to burn them all down."

"We don't know what causing damage will do to Futaba. So don't." Morgana snapped back.

"I see the exit!" Ryuji began to run. "Finally out of this goddamn- the hell?!"

"Ryuji!"

When Ryuji had stepped over the next ring, the ground had given way beneath his foot. He pitched forward, arms pinwheeling as he tried to right himself. Ann grabbed one of his arms and pulled him back onto solid ground.

The tower was visible from the exit to the maze, the structure lined with more of the same flowers arranged in impeccably neat rings. But between it and them was a chasm that was certainly a lethal drop. Stepping carefully onto the ring, Ann peered over the precipice, and was soon joined by Yusuke, who hummed to himself. The bottom of the chasm was hidden from view, shrouded in a white mist. Even from their vantage point, they could feel an intense heat radiating from it. Strong winds occasionally gusted from the depths.

"I would guess it's around a kilometre to the mist, give or take a hundred metres." Yusuke said. "I can see no way of crossing without descending."

He pointed to the chasm's wall, and sure enough, there were enough ridges and outcrops to form a route down into the pit. The very same outcrops were visible on the inner rock face.

"We're losing light, so it's way too risky to try and get down there now."

They hadn't noticed it due to the maze, but Morgana was right. The shadows had gotten longer, and were approaching the base of the tower.

"Look there." Yusuke pointed to the tower. "There's the entrance, around to the right."

They followed his point, and watched as a bridge extended from the tower's side to another opening in the maze. A figure ran across the new bridge, which retracted as soon as it was on the other side.

"Was that a shadow?" Haru asked.

"Too far away to tell." Morgana replied.

The moment the bridge disappeared, the shadows from the setting sun touched the base of the tower. Immediately, _something_ changed in the world, a strange pressure wave setting the Phantom Thieves on edge. They flinched as a siren sounded from the tower. It was a horrendously loud sound, the thieves clamping their hands over their ears to try and block it out. They watched as the conduits on the tower shifted from a bright green to a deep red, the same crimson spilling from the ring on which Ann was stood. She leapt back as a wall of light erupted from the ring, stretching up into darkened sky. Behind them, similar walls appeared.

"What the hell is this?" Ann touched the wall and was immediately repelled, yelping as it shocked her.

"Guys, I'm feeling shadows now. We should get out of the maze, since we can't go any further by the looks of things."

They quickly composed themselves, making their way back into the maze. Morgana led them back the way they came. The siren cut out, leaving a deafening silence in its wake.

"What is with this palace?" Ryuji asked. "I mean none of the others had an actual day, did they?"

"There's something that feels off about this whole thing." Morgana said. "I don't know what. Maybe it's the collective unconscious screwing things up?"

"That would make sense, since we are in the ruins of the unconscious, right?" Haru asked.

"Right. So it's possible that-"

The Thieves stopped dead in their tracks and flinched as an unnatural rumble filled the air. A plume of red water came into view over the hedgerows, looming over the grounds, globules of water falling from the main plume. One of the smaller masses struck the ground around the corner from the Thieves. Morgana peaked around the corner and mouthed _Shadow_. It was, however, unlike any Shadow they had encountered. It didn't have a theme; it barely had a form. It was an unstable mass of darkness, shifting between forms that Morgana recognised and others that were unfamiliar. It was slumped against the hedge, its head buried in the greenery. Morgana turned to the Thieves, gestured for them to keep quiet, and then crept past the Shadow. From that point on, Morgana always checked around corners before advancing.

The hedges soon gave way to another metallic ring, the wall of red light stretching up impossibly high. A Shadow was stood on the other side, bashing its head against the barrier repeatedly. It groaned with each hit.

"What do we do?" Ann whispered. "We can't get through that barrier, right?"

Yusuke glanced at his hand, and then at the barrier. He reached out to touch it, and was surprised when his hand sank through the light, and he grimaced when he couldn't pull it back.

"One way barriers?"

Yusuke stepped through, taking care to avoid touching the Shadow. He shrugged. The remaining Thieves filed through one by one, slipping through the light as the Shadow continued to headbutt it. Once through, they made their way across the flower gardens, electing not to use the path in favour of saving time. By the time they navigated through the remaining maze and reached the outermost barrier, a moon sat high above them, far larger than the real moon, and impossibly bright.

"We have a problem."

Yusuke pointed to the final barrier. There was a Shadow on the other side. Its mass filled almost the entire opening, leaving no route around it. It wheezed, its eyes the only constant on its form, unfocussed and staring.

"Okay, we're gonna have to fight." Morgana said. "Ryuji, can you tackle it to give us space to get through?"

"Hell yeah I can! On three." He stretched his arms. "One… two… three!"

He dashed forwards, wrapping his arms around the Shadow and pushing off the ring, driving it back. The rest of the Thieves formed up behind him. The Shadow stared at Ryuji, and an odd pressure filled the air. A harsh snap emanated from its body, and its form stabilised into that of Sae Niijima, equipped with Leviathan's enormous blade. It screeched, momentarily paralysing everyone present. Morgana yelped.

"What the- that's not a Shadow or a cognition! What is it?"

"What a ridiculous story!" it cried. "Metaverse, Phantom Thieves, all lies!"

It swung at Ryuji, who ducked out of the way. Morgana attacked while it was distracted, slashing at its ankles. It recovered far too quickly, using the width of the blade to stop his strike. Haru and Yusuke moved in unison, the latter flipping over the Shadow-Sae, swinging at its neck as he did so. It blocked, leaving itself wide open to Haru's attack, burying her axe in its chest. It screeched again, bringing its fist down on top of Haru's head. She was forced to let go of her axe to dodge.

"Forget this." Ann ripped off her mask. "Hecate!" She felt the rush of power come to her, and then nothing. She frowned. "Hecate? Carmen?"

Her Persona wasn't appearing. The Shadow-Sae growled, pulled Haru's axe out of its chest and hurled it at Ann, who barely dodged in time.

"I can't summon my Persona!" She yelled.

"What?" Morgana pulled off his mask, and neither Mercurius nor Zorro appeared. "What is this?"

Ryuji delivered a solid hit to the creature's knee. When it didn't falter, he attempted to call upon Captain Kidd, to no avail.

"Guys, I'm thinking my track training is about to come in handy…"

"Asking me to show him the phone, as if that would change a thing!"

Sae swung again.

"Run!"

The Phantom Thieves took off, Ryuji leading the charge back to the entrance point. Sae gave chase, letting loose an ear-splitting howl. Ryuji screeched to a halt as several of the not-Shadows converged on the exit, blocking their escape route. Sae was fast closing in, and it leapt into the air, delivering a vicious punch to Ryuji's face as it landed. Its blade rose, its edge glinting in the moonlight as it dropped towards his neck.

"Ryuji!"

What happened next was almost too fast to comprehend.

A hooded figure darted from the shadows, armoured hands catching the blade millimetres from Ryuji's neck. Ryuji was kicked out of the way by the newcomer, who took a quick step back as Sae broke his grip.

"Stay back!" He growled, holding his arm up. "Your weapons are of no avail here. Stay back."

Sae bellowed and swung at the hooded man, who danced around the edge and jabbed it in the throat. The creature let out a strangled cry; the hooded man did not relent. He delivered punches to the gut, the neck, and face, black ichor leaking from the Sae-creature like smoke. His hands took on an odd shine, and he plunged his hand into its chest, wrenching a scarlet crystal from the creature's chest and crushing it in his grip. The creature folded immediately, dissolving into black mist.

"He's… a cognition…" Morgana said, staring at the man.

"Now then…" the man straightened up, flicking the remaining ichor from his hand. "Why would materials such as yourself be doing this far down?"

"A cognition? But of who?" Ryuji yelled.

"You there. Creature." The man approached Morgana, whose fur was now stood on end. He knelt down, keeping his face downturned. "You called me something just now. What was it?"

"A-a cognition… how can you be self-aware?"

"Cognition…" he backed away, straightening up. The hood obscured his face from view. "Yes, that's right. I am a cognition… but I'm little more than that. No name… But you haven't answered my question. Here I find myself four materials and one… creature… in this terminal world. What brings you here?"

He turned around, the moonlight illuminating the space under the hood, revealing naught more than two misshapen eyes and a glinting grin.

"What brings you here, to this breeding ground of nightmares?"


End file.
